


Timer

by quirklessbunny



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Fluff, M/M, Soulmates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-01
Updated: 2018-04-01
Packaged: 2019-04-17 01:09:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,676
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14177298
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/quirklessbunny/pseuds/quirklessbunny
Summary: Antonio doesn't believe in timers, never has. But maybe he'll get one, because the cute boy from the coffee shop believes in them.





	Timer

**Author's Note:**

  * For [onewithturtles](https://archiveofourown.org/users/onewithturtles/gifts).



> bunny basket for my darling Reagan
> 
> no beta we die like men

Antonio smiles as he walks into the coffee shop, prepared to meet the date he arranged the night before. It was through some app his brother had recommended to him, and they seemed pretty nice. He sends the message that he arrived, then orders a milkshake for himself and sits down. About a half an hour passes before he thinks something might be going on. He texts them again to see if they’re coming, concerned that he might be stood up. 

Antonio sighs when he once more doesn’t get a response, but convinces himself that the traffic is probably bad, and orders another milkshake while he waits. He smiles brightly at the cute person behind the counter. “Thanks… Lovino? What an interesting name. Don’t think I’ve ever heard that one before.” 

The barista looks up at him in surprise, then rolls his eyes. “That’s because it’s not a fucking name. My parents picked it because they were drunk on wine when they conceived me. It’s stupid.” He frowns slightly and looks at Antonio. “Why do you care anyways? Are you bored or something?”

“Oh, uh, my date just hasn’t arrived yet. I just thought your name was interesting,” Antonio responds, then takes his second milkshake before going and sitting down. He rests his head on his hand and stares out the window, waiting for anything to happen. Another hour passes, and Antonio seems to deflate by then. His cheerful smile has fallen, and he just looks into the melted milkshake, then stands up to leave. 

Lovino is on his way out of the door when he notices Antonio looks pretty sad. He sighs and walks over to him. “Look, your date is a dick. They shouldn’t have ditched you. Why don’t we go somewhere to make up for it? If you want to,” Lovino offers, staring at him. Antonio freezes, then smiles slightly. 

“Sure. You don’t have anywhere to be? I’ll buy you lunch somewhere. My name is Antonio,” he says, holding his hand out to shake Lovino’s. “It’s nice to meet you. This is really kind of you.” 

“Yeah, yeah. Whatever.” Lovino shakes Antonio’s hand and has to hide the growing smile. “It just looks dumb when you don’t smile.” Lovino pulls his hand away and walks outside, letting Antonio follow him. He goes down the street to a nice little restaurant and sits down, opening the menu right away. Antonio sits across from him and raises an eyebrow. 

“You’re a weird guy, Lovino,” he says with a soft chuckle. “But that wasn’t the first time someone has stood me up. It happens a lot actually.” He shrugs. “No big deal, I’ll find the right one eventually.” 

“Yeah...I guess that’s a good way to look at it,” Lovino responds, snorting a small laugh. “It’s not like you’re destined for anyone, right?” He tilts his head, eyebrows knit together. What world does this guy think he lives in? Now it’s Antonio’s turn to snort quietly. 

“You mean that dumb timer thing everyone is doing? No, I haven’t got one.” Antonio shows Lovino his wrist. “The website I use is called Timerless. It’s for people who don’t have timers and aren’t interested in getting one. Well, not necessarily not interested, but just don’t have one yet,” he explains. Lovino looks down at his blank timer and huffs. 

“It’s people like you that leave people like me without any hope of a soulmate,” Lovino snaps. He knows he shouldn’t be angry about it, it’s an optional part of their lives, but he hates that he got one and now he doesn’t have a time on his. He takes a deep breath and sighs softly. “Sorry. That was out of line.” 

“No I understand,” Antonio responds, looking down. “I was looking at getting one, because I would prefer to know that someone will be out there for me. I guess I’m just scared to have a blank timer. And I’m scared that it’s gonna hurt to get it.” Antonio admits, then looks down. 

Lovino sighs and nods. “I’ll hold your hand if want to get one.” Lovino feels stupid for offering, but watching Antonio droop like that just makes his own heart sink. He knows, from looking at Antonio, that a frown should never be on his face. Antonio looks up at him in confusion, then nods slowly. 

“Sure. I might just go get one after our lovely lunch, then.” Antonio smiles happily, then looks up when the waiter finally comes over to them. He orders what he wants, then looks expectantly at Lovino, who then orders as well. 

“Alright then, I’ll have it right out,” the waiter says, smiling as he takes the menus and walks away. Lovino looks down then back at Antonio. 

“Why do you smile so much? Is life really that good to you?” 

Antonio shakes his head with a smile. “No, but I see no reason not to smile through it. Even if life sucks, smiling can help you bring up your spirits. Fake it til you make it, Lovi!” he explains, a bright smile taking over his face. “It works, you know. You just have to let it.” Antonio leans back in his seat and looks out the window. It feels nice to have company, he decides, even if it wasn’t the company he was expecting to have. 

The conversation is casual following the timer talk. Antonio gets excited when their food is brought over, and eats it quickly, not really caring what Lovino thinks about that, though he’s gathering from the looks that he should probably slow down at the very least. He laughs self consciously, and looks down at the food. “Sorry. I got hungry while we waited.” He slows down a little bit, but is still eating pretty quickly. 

Lovino rolls his eyes, but eats slowly. In the back of his mind, he hopes that Antonio is his soulmate. The man is annoyingly cute, and the longer he stares at Antonio, the more things he notices about him. He has a few freckles on his face, and his eyes are a shade of green he’s never seen before, but have gold flecks in them. His smile seems to light up his entire face, and his hair is a right mess. Lovino drags his eyes away from the curls to look down at his food. The faster he eats, the faster Antonio will get his damn timer, and this little fantasy can disappear. 

Antonio pays the bill when they both finish and stands up. “I have a car. Let’s drive down to the little timer place,” Antonio says, heading towards the door. He’s not afraid to get a timer, as he’s sure it’ll be blank, and then he can just use a different dating site. There’s just too many people on earth, and he doesn’t care enough of about this dumb system, but he knows that people with blank timers are more likely to get dates than people without them at all. 

So he’s going to play into the government’s greedy hands, but it will make his new friend happy, and perhaps even get him a date with the attractive young man. Antonio looks over at Lovino as they walk to his car and blushes slightly. Lovino seems to have a permanent pout on his face, but it’s adorable. 

Antonio opens the door for him and smiles. “So if I get this timer, and nothing shows up on it, what are you gonna say?” he asks, looking into the car at him. Lovino looks up at him and frowns, then pushes him out so he can close the door. Lovino is a little stiff, since Antonio is still a stranger after all, and he knows from all those crime shows that the worst criminals are the ones who seem cute and sweet so they lure people in. 

Lovino’s thoughts are broken by Antonio telling him to put on a seat belt. “You okay? You look freaked out.” Antonio turns on his signal and pulls away from the curb, driving the short distance to the little shop. 

Lovino shakes his head and huffs, blushing. “Nothing. Just realized you could be a serial killer or something. You certainly look like a psychopath when you smile like that,” he responds, rubbing an arm. He blushes harder when Antonio laughs softly at that, and shakes his head. 

“Aw, Lovinito. So suspicious. Don’t worry, if I was a serial killer, we wouldn’t be stopping to get a timer injected into my wrist,” he says as he parks. “You’re silly though, I like you. We have to stay friends, at least, after this.” 

Lovino snorts. “At least? If we don’t match up, then we’re not gonna be more than friends, you dork.” Antonio pouts slightly at that, but heads inside anyways. He starts to tremble slightly when they step inside. He’s heard that getting these things hurts like a bitch. Lovino grabs onto his hand gently, and gives him a small smile, hoping it comes off as comforting. 

Antonio fills out the paperwork that comes before they implant a timer, then sits down in the chair, eyes squeezed shut. He listens to the warnings, then nods. “Just do it before I change my mind,” he responds, then clenches his teeth. It hurts badly, but he manages it without yanking his arm away. Antonio looks blearily down at his new timer and sees only a few seconds on it, then looks up at Lovino in surprise. 

Their arms both ring a quiet jingle as their eyes meet, and Antonio smiles goofily. “So we do get to be more than friends!” 

Lovino huffs and smiles softly, nodding. “I suppose so, asshole. Sorry you had to waste $80 to get one, when it went off right away.” 

“Don’t worry about it. Was lunch our first date, or should I take you out again tonight?” 

“Hm… I think I’m gonna have to say we need to go somewhere else tonight.” 

“Sounds good to me, Lovi. Pick you up at seven?”


End file.
